May 02, 2020

WILKES-BARRE The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is encouraging all Pennsylvanians to only flush toilet paper and human waste, not disinfecting wipes or other non-flushable items that should be disposed of in the trash.

Sewage treatment facilities have been dealing with an increase in non-flushable materials clogging filters and equipment since the beginning of the stay-at-home orders in March.

Flushing things that arent meant to be flushed can damage your own sewer pipes as well as the sewer treatment facilities that we all depend on, said DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell. Even so-called flushable wipes shouldnt be put in the toilet.

Tissues, paper towels, and single-use wipes, including cleansing and diaper wipes, cannot be safely flushed, even if they are labeled as flushable or biodegradable. Other non-flushable items include things like diapers, feminine hygiene products, disposable toilet brushes, disposable gloves, cotton swabs, dental floss, and kitty litter.

Flushing or dumping the wrong things down the drain can cause blockages in your own home or business, as well as problems in the local sewer system. These products do not break down like toilet paper and can clog systems very quickly. Many sewer blockages occur between your house or business and the sewer main, where the property owner is responsible for correcting and paying for the repair.

Blockages can also lead to sewage overflows that can have adverse effects on the environment, especially if the overflow enters local rivers, lakes, and streams.

Flushing only toilet paper and human waste helps ensure that the toilets, plumbing, sewer systems, and septic systems will continue working properly to safely manage wastewater in Pennsylvania.

DEP also encourages residents and businesses to refrain from disposing of food scraps, grease, fat, or oil down the drain. These should also be disposed of in the trash to help keep wastewater pipes clear.

Grease, fat, and oil can solidify and adhere to the insides of the pipes that carry wastewater from homes and businesses to the wastewater treatment plant. Over time, these buildups can restrict the flow of wastewater.

Garbage disposals do not prevent grease from washing down the drain. Detergents that claim to dissolve grease may pass it down the line and cause problems in other parts of the wastewater system.

Food scraps, grease, fat, and oil should be removed from cookware, plates, utensils, and cooking surfaces, placed in a sealed container, and disposed of in the trash. Baskets/strainers can also be installed in sink drains to catch food scraps.

Preventable toilet and sewer backups can pose a threat to human health and present an extra challenge to wastewater utilities and staff. Flushing anything other than toilet paper can damage internal plumbing, local sewer systems, and septic systems. Fixing these backups is costly and takes time and resources away from ensuring that wastewater management systems are otherwise working properly.

Having fully operational wastewater services is critical to containing COVID-19 and protecting Pennsylvanians from other public health risks. DEP thanks wastewater staff and utilities for their dedication, courage, and continuing efforts at a time when resources may be stretched thin. Pennsylvanias wastewater employees are local heroes on the front line of protecting human health and the environment every single day.

For more information on COVID-19, please visit the PA Department of Health page. For more information on DEP-related COVID-19 matters, please visit the PA DEP Alerts page.

Farmers markets prepare

to safely serve consumers

Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding this week reminded Pennsylvanians that with spring and warm weather comes farmers market season in the commonwealth.

Farmers markets, like grocery stores, offer life-sustaining food and essentials and have been provided guidance from the department for how to continue operations safely and with minimal risk amid the COVID-19 public health crisis.

While farmers work hard year-round to push food to grocery stores, many are also working hard to stock their own market shelves and feed their local community, said Secretary Redding. Farmers markets are a fundamental piece of Pennsylvanias supply chain; something many Pennsylvanians have become acutely aware of in recent weeks.

When Gov. Tom Wolf first designated agriculture and the supply chain as life sustaining, the Department of Agriculture issued guidance for Farmers Markets and On-Farm Markets with recommendations on how to continue operations safely and minimize contact for shoppers and employees. The guidance includes:

Offer delivery or pick up options and online or phone ordering if possible.

Pre-package bags of fruit, vegetables, and other items to limit shoppers handling food and keep customers moving quickly.

Offer designated times for high-risk and elderly persons to shop at least once a week.

Communicate with consumers via website or social media to explain changes, delivery options, or other extra precautions to mitigate against COVID-19.

Separate stands to limit crowds and consider limiting the number of customers in the market at one time.

If possible, have a different person handle products and handle money, or wash hands and sanitize between tasks.

Remove tablecloths and eliminate samples and eating areas.

The guidance also offers farms the opportunity to open an on-farm stand to sell raw produce, eggs, or shelf stable packaged foods such as jams, jellies, or baked goods without additional food safety licenses.

In addition to the above recommendations, markets are advised to adhere to Department of Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levines worker safety order and the Department of Agricultures guidance for Sanitization and Diagnosed Employees. Market operators are also encouraged to take advantage of free resources and webinars provided by Penn State Extension for farmers market managers to maintain safe operations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Because the Department of Agriculture worked so quickly to create guidelines for farmers markets and on-farm markets, Penn State Extension and our partners were able to develop fact sheets, articles, webinars and open forums around these guidelines to help the more than 1,000 essential farmers markets in the commonwealth to operate in a safe manner and continue to feed their communities, said PA Farm Markets Director and Penn State Extension Education Program Associate Brian Moyer.

Pennsylvanians interested in supporting local can find a market by visiting pafarm.com or by looking for the PA Preferred logo when shopping in a grocery store for a guarantee that youre supporting a Pennsylvania farmer.

This pandemic does not limit our need for food. In fact, its quite the opposite, added Redding. So lets remember where that food comes from, and make intentional choices to directly support local farmers. Pennsylvanias farmers markets and farm stands offer the essentials you need and theyre working harder than ever to provide a safe, reliable service.

For a complete list of guidance documents and information as it relates to agriculture during COVID-19 mitigation in Pennsylvania visit agriculture.pa.gov/COVID. For the most accurate, timely information related to Health in Pennsylvania, visit on.pa.gov/coronavirus.

AG to audit COVID-19

business shutdown waivers

Auditor General Eugene DePasquale this week announced he will audit how the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) has managed the waiver process for businesses that appealed Gov. Tom Wolfs COVID-19 shutdown order.

Some business owners complained that the departments waiver process was too slow and not transparent enough, DePasquale said. My audit is intended to help make sure that the waiver process is managed more smoothly should it be necessary to use it again in the future.

On March 19, Gov. Wolf ordered that businesses that were not categorized as life-sustaining must close their physical locations to help slow the spread of COVID-19, which has so far claimed the lives of nearly 2,200 Pennsylvanians and rising.

More than 40,000 businesses sought a waiver from the governors closure order through a process managed by DCED. The waiver application period ended April 3.

Im pleased that Gov. Wolf agrees that performing this audit is both appropriate and necessary, DePasquale said. Im also pleased that DCED Secretary Dennis Davin has pledged to fully cooperate with my audit team.

DePasquale said he is pleased by the bipartisan interest in the audit; Senate Republicans requested it earlier in the week. The audit process will begin immediately and results will be made public upon conclusion.

Continue reading here:
Coping with Corona: Inclined to recline - Wilkes Barre Times-Leader

Many cultures use the fruit and its juices as a traditional folk remedy to treat or prevent various ailments.

Modern research has linked pineapple juice and its compounds to health benefits, such as improved digestion and heart health, reduced inflammation, and perhaps even some protection against cancer. However, not all evidence has been conclusive.

Here are 7 science-based benefits of pineapple juice, based on the current research.

1. Rich in Nutrients

Pineapple juice provides a concentrated dose of various nutrients. One cup (240 mL) contains around:

• Calories: 132
• Protein: less than 1 gram
• Fat: less than 1 gram
• Carbs: 33 grams
• Sugars: 25 grams
• Fiber: less than 1 gram
• Manganese: 55% of the Daily Value (DV)
• Copper: 19% of the DV
• Vitamin B6: 15% of the DV
• Vitamin C: 14% of the DV
• Thiamine: 12% of the DV
• Folate: 11% of the DV
• Potassium: 7% of the DV
• Magnesium: 7% of the DV

Pineapple juice is particularly rich in manganese, copper, and vitamins B6 and C. These nutrients play an important role in bone health, immunity, wound healing, energy production, and tissue synthesis.

It also contains trace amounts of iron, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, choline, and vitamin K, as well as various B vitamins.

Summary

Pineapple juice is rich in a variety of vitamins and minerals. It's especially packed with manganese, copper, vitamin B6, and vitamin C all of which play important roles in the proper functioning of your body.

2. Contains Additional Beneficial Compounds

In addition to being rich in vitamins and minerals, pineapple juice is a good source of antioxidants, which are beneficial plant compounds that help keep your body healthy.

Antioxidants help neutralize unstable compounds known as free radicals, which can build up in your body due to factors like pollution, stress, or an unhealthy diet and cause cell damage.

Experts believe that the antioxidants in pineapple juice, particularly vitamin C, beta carotene, and various flavonoids, are in large part to thank for its potential beneficial effects.

Pineapple juice also contains bromelain, a group of enzymes linked to health benefits, such as reduced inflammation, improved digestion, and stronger immunity.

Summary

Pineapple juice is rich in antioxidants, which help protect your body from damage and disease. It also contains bromelain, a group of enzymes that may reduce inflammation, improve digestion, and boost immunity.

3. May Suppress Inflammation

Pineapple juice may help reduce inflammation, which is believed to be the root cause of many chronic diseases.

This may largely be due to its bromelain content. Some research suggests that this compound may be as effective as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) but with fewer side effects.

In Europe, bromelain is approved for use to reduce inflammation caused by trauma or surgery, as well as to treat surgical wounds or deep burns.

In addition, there's evidence that ingesting bromelain before surgery may help reduce the level of inflammation and pain caused by surgery.

Some studies further suggest that bromelain may help reduce pain and inflammation caused by a sports injury, rheumatoid arthritis, or osteoarthritis of the knee.

That said, research has yet to test the direct effects of pineapple juice on inflammation.

Therefore, it's unclear whether the bromelain intakes achieved through drinking small to moderate amounts of pineapple juice would provide the same anti-inflammatory benefits as those observed in these studies.

Summary

Pineapple juice contains bromelain, a group of enzymes that may help reduce inflammation caused by trauma, injuries, surgery, rheumatoid arthritis, or osteoarthritis. However, more juice-specific studies are needed.

4. May Boost Your Immunity

Pineapple juice may contribute to a stronger immune system.

Test-tube studies suggest that bromelain, a mixture of enzymes naturally found in pineapple juice, may activate the immune system.

Bromelain may also improve recovery from infections, such as pneumonia, sinusitis, and bronchitis, especially when used in combination with antibiotics.

However, most of these studies are dated, and none have examined the immunity-boosting effects of pineapple juice in humans. Therefore, more research is needed to confirm these results.

Summary

Some research suggests that pineapple juice may contribute to a stronger immune system. It may also help increase the effectiveness of antibiotics. However, more studies are needed before strong conclusions can be made.

5. May Help Your Digestion

The enzymes in pineapple juice function as proteases. Proteases help break down protein into smaller subunits, such as amino acids and small peptides, which can then be more easily absorbed in your gut.

Bromelain, a group of enzymes in pineapple juice, may particularly help improve digestion in people whose pancreas cannot make enough digestive enzymes a medical condition known as pancreatic insufficiency.

Animal research suggests that bromelain may also help protect your gut from harmful, diarrhea-causing bacteria, such as E. coli and V. cholera.

Moreover, according to some test-tube research, bromelain may help reduce gut inflammation in people with inflammatory bowel disorders, such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis.

That said, most studies have investigated the effect of concentrated doses of bromelain, rather than that of pineapple juice, and very few were conducted in humans. Therefore, more research is needed.

Summary

The bromelain in pineapple juice may aid digestion, guard against harmful, diarrhea-causing bacteria, and reduce inflammation in people with inflammatory bowel disorders. However, more research is needed.

6. May Promote Heart Health

The bromelain naturally found in pineapple juice may also benefit your heart.

Test-tube and animal studies suggest that bromelain may help reduce high blood pressure, prevent the formation of blood clots, and minimize the severity of angina pectoris and transient ischemic attacks two health conditions caused by heart disease.

However, the number of studies is limited, and none are specific to pineapple juice. Therefore, more research is needed before strong conclusions can be made.

Summary

Some research links the bromelain naturally found in pineapple juice to markers of improved heart health. However, more pineapple-juice-specific studies are needed.

7. May Help Fight Certain Types of Cancer

Pineapple juice may have potential cancer-fighting effects. Again, this is likely in large part due to its bromelain content.

Some studies suggest that bromelain may help prevent the formation of tumors, reduce their size, or even cause the death of cancerous cells.

However, these were test-tube studies using concentrated amounts of bromelain that were much higher than those you'd ingest from drinking a glass of pineapple juice. This makes it difficult to project their results to humans.

Therefore, more research is needed before strong conclusions can be made.

Summary

Test-tube studies suggest that concentrated amounts of bromelain may help protect against cancer. However, it's currently unclear whether pineapple juice offers similar benefits in humans.

Possible Precautions

Pineapple juice is generally considered safe for most people.

That said, bromelain, a group of enzymes naturally found in pineapple juice, may enhance the absorption of certain drugs, especially antibiotics and blood thinners.

As such, if you are taking medications, consult your physician or registered dietitian to make sure it's safe to consume pineapple juice.

This beverage's acidity may also trigger heartburn or reflux in some people. Specifically, those with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may want to avoid consuming large amounts of this beverage.

Despite its potential benefits, it's important to remember that pineapple juice remains low in fiber yet high in sugar.

This means it's unlikely to fill you up as much as eating the same quantity of raw pineapple would. Therefore, it may promote weight gain in some people.

What's more, while drinking small amounts of juice has been linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, drinking more than 5 ounces (150 mL) per day may have the opposite effect.

Therefore, it's likely best to avoid drinking too much pineapple juice, and when you do, stick to 100% pure varieties that are free of added sugars.

Summary

Pineapple juice is low in fiber yet rich in sugar, and drinking too much may lead to weight gain or disease. This beverage may also interact with medications and trigger heartburn or reflux in some people.

The Bottom Line

Pineapple juice contains a variety of vitamins, minerals, and beneficial plant compounds that may protect you from disease.

Studies link this beverage to improved digestion, heart health, and immunity. Pineapple juice or its compounds may also help reduce inflammation and perhaps even offer some protection against certain types of cancer.

However, human studies are limited, and it's unclear whether the effects observed in test tubes or animals can be achieved by small daily intakes of pineapple juice.

Moreover, this beverage remains low in fiber and rich in sugar, so drinking large quantities each day is not recommended.

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For those employees encouraged and enabled to work from home at the start of the isolation period, they have probably settled into the new routine by now. They may well be enjoying it. They have probably filled the commute time with spending time with the kids or doing online exercise classes or they may just like rolling out of bed (a little later) and straight to their desk!

However, even for the most enthusiastic home worker, there are probably going to be strains on their mental wellbeing. Stress, doubt and loneliness are all likely emotions and apply to work-lives just as much as anything else right now.

But what are the issues exactly and how can you, as an employer, look out for the mental health of your team at this time?

Social connections

Gone are the days when everyone went to work and kept their heads down until their working day was done. The social aspect of working in an office is hugely important. Indeed, for some, connection to colleagues can be a more significant part of their job satisfaction than the salary or other rewards. Having a human connection can really improve motivation and confidence.

So, get your team together virtually. Group video calls are a great way to improve the social connection. It will make a difference to your team if they can smile and wave to each other, not to mention checking physically that their colleagues are OK. During these chats, let your team discuss any challenges or achievements work-wise, any concerns they have about the virus itself and be sure to include social conversations, as you would had you all gathered in the kitchen by the kettle. Check their family situation is OK, ask about home-schooling, how busy the supermarkets are, what their favourite new lock-down pastime is

This could really form the basis of your remote-working culture and will nurture and perhaps even build upon the social connection your team feels when they are all in the office together.

Effective communication

You will, of course, also need effective communication with relation to work and your team will really benefit from clarity regarding the line of communication. This is well-established in the office environment but, if you havent yet, make sure your team members know who and when to call and how to reach the right person.

Employees unused to working from home will often phone to ask what might seem like silly questions. Its perfectly normal but you should have a structure to help avoid it so you can all get done what you need to.

This could manifest itself as structured contact times, putting aside set times to speak to team members and, as above, conference calls for group conversations. These are good ways to restrict the number of telephone calls.

And dont fall back on emails - in the environment were experiencing, that will not do! You still need to nurture the human connection. Plus, written communications can be misconstrued and its far easier when speaking in person to understand what your team member is saying and to question and clarify as you go along. If possible, video calling is probably always best.

Tackling stress

In terms of stress, your employees are going to benefit from things like the lack of commute, not worrying about their office attire, etc. but they will still be stressed. Theyre worrying about the virus itself, about their family and friends and, inevitably, about the security of their job.

A recognised way to tackle stress is having regular, straightforward and transparent conversations with team members. Diarise a time and get in touch to talk about what is going on. Tell them openly and honestly how business is going. Make sure your team understands what actions are being taken and what the contingency plans are. Even if the truth is unpleasant its still better than being dishonest or sugar-coating things.

Again, bring your group together on Zoom or Skype, as well as speaking to them all individually. Acknowledge the stresses that they might be feeling and encourage everyone to speak openly and honestly about them.

Safe socialising

Whether its with colleagues or simply their own friends and family, assisting your team to make social contact safely outside work will help their mental wellbeing too.

You could supply a list of things they can do at different points in their day / week and be reasonable about how they might fit these things into and around their working day. For example, should they Facetime their best friend and have lunch with them? Can they have an afternoon coffee break while chatting on the phone to the person they usually sit next to at work?

Also, if they are members of groups in their free time; such as art classes, quizzes or even darts competitions; can you help facilitate virtual alternatives to these, too?

Perhaps you could even set up virtual team exercises and activities such as cooking competitions, crosswords or online scrabble or hook up employees with home gym equipment so they can work out together.

Extra motivation

Exercise is also a great way to boost motivation, not to mention the mental health benefits that we know come from regular exercise. If you encourage the team to share their exercise routines with one another, you also have another topic of conversation.

Really important for motivation is showing trust and empowering your team to work from home. If they feel they can achieve what they need to and be recognised and praised for it at this time, it will encourage them to keep going, while looking forward to a time when they can go back to working normally.

Keep your targets short-term. No one really knows the duration of this situation, so youre much better off planning on a monthly basis. Goals that are achieved in a short period of time are a great way to keep your team engaged and driven and also gives you the perfect opportunity to praise your team regularly, thereby encouraging them further.

And never underestimate the power of thanks. Make sure each and every team member knows you are grateful for what they are doing and achieving at a time of such uncertainty.

Looking forward

It may feel as though there is little to look forward to at the moment, but we will begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Many of us have a mental list, whether big or small, of what we are looking forward to when the pandemic has passed. Why not give your team something else to add to their lists? Its another great way to maintain motivation and gives them something else to talk about in those virtual meet-ups.

You could take ideas from your team or you could come up with something you know they will love. For example, you could take them to a sporting event that your team enjoys or, if they are a music- or theatre-loving lot, perhaps a performance or even a way they can do it for themselves. Of course, a wellbeing-themed activity probably cant do anyone any harm at the end of a pandemic.

Make counselling available

Even with all the measures I have described in place, it would not hurt for you to have counselling available to your employees. You may already have an internal person who is trained for this kind of thing or you can look to engage a professional externally.

You could offer individual and group wellbeing sessions and address issues that arise, whether thats anxiety, sleep issues or diet and nutrition, or how to stay focussed.

As a business, you need to be flexible and responsive in order to get through this time and you need your team so your business can survive, just as much as they need the business for their financial and job security, so it is absolutely vital that you put their mental wellbeing at the top of your list right now.

See the original post:
Safeguarding the mental health of your team during Coronavirus - Elite Business Magazine

By SaVanna Shoemaker, MS, RDN, LD

Yeast is an essential ingredient in many bread recipes, including dinner rolls, pizza dough, cinnamon rolls, and most loaf breads. It causes dough to rise, resulting in pillow-like soft bread.

For baking purposes, it's usually sold as instant or active dry yeast a light brown powder composed of a yeast called Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Dry yeast activates in the presence of water and sugar as it begins to eat and digest the sugar. This produces carbon dioxide bubbles that get trapped in dense dough. They then expand at room temperature or when exposed to heat, causing the dough to rise.

This rising process known as leavening results in larger, fluffier, and softer baked goods than those that don't rise, such as flatbreads and crackers.

You may wonder whether you can replicate this leavening process without yeast. Fortunately, several other ingredients replicate the action of yeast in baking.

Here are the 3 best substitutes for yeast.

Baking powder is a staple ingredient in a baker's pantry. It contains baking soda and an acid, usually cream of tartar.

Like yeast, baking powder acts as a leavening agent. It works in two ways:

Baking powder reacts immediately when exposed to liquid and heat. Thus, unlike when using yeast, using baking powder does not require additional rise time. For this reason, it's used to leaven quick types of bread like pancakes, cornbread, biscuits, and cakes.

In baked goods, you can replace yeast with an equal amount of baking powder. Just keep in mind that the leavening effects of baking powder will not be as distinct as those of yeast.

Summary

Baking powder causes baked goods to rise rapidly, but not to the same extent as yeast. You can replace yeast with baking powder at a one-to-one ratio.

You can also use baking soda combined with acid to replace yeast. Baking soda and acid work together to cause the same reactions as baking powder.

However, using baking soda or acid separately will not make baked goods rise you need to combine them for the reaction to occur.

Examples of acids to use alongside baking soda to replicate the leavening action of yeast include:

To substitute baking soda and acid for yeast in a recipe, replace half of the required amount of yeast with baking soda and the other half with acid.

For example, if a recipe calls for 2 teaspoons of yeast, simply use 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 1 teaspoon of an acid.

Like when using baking powder, using baking soda and acid does not require a rise time, and the leavening effects will not be as powerful as those of yeast.

Summary

Baking soda and acid cause the same reaction as baking powder does, resulting in a quick rise. To use it in place of yeast, use 50% baking soda and 50% acid as a one-to-one replacement.

Sourdough starter contains naturally occurring yeast. It's made from flour and water and used to make sourdough bread, which boasts a slightly tangy flavor from the natural fermentation process of the yeast.

Some sourdough starters are maintained for years, continually fermenting to provide a strong flavor and soft, chewy texture to artisan sourdough bread.

Fermentation by a sourdough starter works in the same way as instant yeast, forming bubbles of carbon dioxide in the dough to make it rise.

You can use 1 cup (300 grams) of sourdough starter to replace one 2-teaspoon package of yeast.

If your starter is thick, reduce the amount of flour in the recipe, and if your starter is thin, either reduce the amount of liquid or increase the amount of flour to achieve the correct texture. Using sourdough starter instead of yeast also requires about double the rise time.

How to Make Your Own Sourdough Starter

Growing a sourdough starter takes a minimum of 5 days, but once you have one, it's easy to maintain and use. Here's what you'll need:

Here are the steps to make your own sourdough starter:

To maintain your sourdough starter beyond day 5, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Use or discard half of it every week, and feed it with another 1/2 cup (120 grams) of flour and 1/2 cup (120 mL) of water.

Sourdough starter with any contamination of fuzzy, white, or colored mold should be discarded.

Given that it takes a minimum of 5 days to produce a sourdough starter, this yeast substitute is best if you already have a sourdough starter on hand, or if you can wait 5 days before baking.

Summary

You can use 1 cup (300 grams) of sourdough starter to replace 2 teaspoons of yeast. Still, you may need to adjust the amount of flour or liquid in the recipe and double the rise time. Making your own sourdough starter from scratch will take at least 5 days.

Yeast adds airiness, lightness, and chewiness to baked goods, but in a pinch, you can replace it with alternative ingredients.

Baking powder, as well as baking soda combined with an acid, react in liquid and heat to create bubbles and leaven baked goods. These yeast substitutes react quickly, so they don't require a rise time. However, they may not result in as distinct of a rising effect as yeast would.

Sourdough starter can also be used, with results comparable to those of yeast. However, sourdough starter needs approximately double the rise time and you will need to adjust ratios of liquid and flour based on the thickness of your starter.

Although none of these ingredients will completely replicate yeast in a recipe, they're great alternatives when you don't have any yeast on hand.

Reposted with permission from Healthline. For detailed source information, please view the original article on Healthline.

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While we may all be stuck at home during quarantine, naturally one of the things we do to keep us busy is eating. But, there are some celebrity weight loss transformations that can give us a little inspiration to eat healthier and exercise. Lets take a look at some amazing weight loss journeys.

Fresh off of her Masked Singer appearance, The Real host Adrienne Bailon posted a gorgeous bikini video on Instagram. The star definitely looks a lot slimmer and is rocking a new sense of confidence. She said in the caption, This is my first post in a bathing suit since losing 20lbs. Now Ive lost weight before but always gained it back because I was dieting & not changing my lifestyle! But not this time Adriennes weight loss is in part by her shifting to a plant-based diet as well as working out a lot more. She offered some advice in her Instagram post saying Drink your water, squat, rest, read, pray, take your vitamins, eat your veggies! It is definitely worth trying Adriennes tips because she looks absolutely amazing.

Simon Cowell showed off a dramatic weight loss transformation on Britains Got Talent. He has said to have lost four inches off of his waist and nearly 20 pounds. To achieve this transformation, Simon cut sugar out of his diet. He also decreased his meat intake. All I do is avoid just red meat white meat is fine and I eat loads of vegetables, salads and drink this great beer. Im on a diet but it doesnt feel like it now because the food I eat is really healthy and I dont find it tedious. If its boring you wont stick to it, he said. He did not fully go vegan, but his new eating habits have definitely helped him achieve a slimmer, more toned figure. And he looks super happy with his weight loss journey.

SEE ALSO: BGT JUDGE SIMON COWELL REVEALS HE IS NOT VEGAN & PIERS MORGAN IS STILL CANCELLED

The Voice coach Kelly Clarkson has shown off her trim figure during this seasons auditions. She recently lost close to 40 pounds after struggling with her weight for years. Kelly has a thyroid condition that initially caused her weight gain. She cut several things out of her diet to maintain a new healthy lifestyle and this even allowed her to get off of her thyroid medication. Kelly no longer eats refined starches like pasta, rice, and bread; beans, lentils and peas; soy foods like edamame and tofu; dairy products such as ice creams, yogurts, and cheese; diet soda and artificial sweeteners; all other fruit besides berries; and an extensive list of vegetables. This seems like a lot of things to be cautious of that she had to cut out of her diet. But its certainly working for her because she is glowing.

If you have seen any pictures of Adele lately, you have definitely noticed that she is slimmer than she was when she first stepped onto the music scene. How did she have such a dramatic weight loss? The singer has reportedly lost over 100 pounds after doing what is referred to as the sirtfood diet. focuses on sirtuins, or proteins in your body that specialize in cellular health and metabolism, among other things. According to the New York Post, Sirtuins can be found in foods like kale, extra-virgin olive oil, buckwheat, matcha, blueberries and arugula. The menus sweet surprises include red wine, coffee and dark chocolate. Meat is not a sirtuin. Daily exercise is also recommended for this diet. A diet that lets you eat chocolate and drink red wine? It definitely sounds pretty promising but experts say not everyone will experience such a dramatic weight loss from it.

SEE ALSO: ADELE SHOCKINGLY SHAVED OFF ALL HER HAIR IN QUARANTINE & THE PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS

Actress Melissa McCarthy is always making other people laugh with her hilarious television and movie appearances. Lately, she has been looking amazing after dropping 75 pounds. What exactly is her secret? She is on the keto diet, a high-protein, low carb diet. This diet helps burn stubborn belly fat and can reduce cholesterol levels. She also drinks a ton of water with lemon which helped boost her digestion. Melissa also has said in the past that she follows a fitness plan that includes martial arts and using a rowing machine. It certainly seems to be working for her and is proof that changing your eating habits and exercising can improve your life dramatically.

Everyones favorite hilarious actress Rebel Wilson has definitely been shedding some weight recently. She revealed that she now works out with a trainer doing cardio seven days a week. She does circuit training with weights, squats, lunges and ab exercises. her New Years resolution for 2020 was to make this a year of health. Rebel has said on Instagram that she no longer counts calories and instead focuses on her fiber intake. The star has lost close to 30 pounds already after committing to exercising more. She has also been avoiding sugar and junk food. Rebel looks incredible and were so happy that she is feeling motivated and confident this year to rock her new body.

Jessica Simpson showed off a slim figure as she revealed that she lost close to 100 pounds. After the birth of her daughter Birdie in 2019, Jessica knew that she had to adopt a new healthy lifestyle after weighing close to 240 pounds. Are you dying to know how she did it? According to her trainer, the singer walked at least 14,000 steps a day and ate two meals and three snacks each day. She ate healthier versions of comfort foods and only indulged on special occasions. Jessica also had 45-minute gym sessions three days a week and made sure she got at least seven hours of sleep each night. Sleep is very important during a weight loss journey because it can affect a persons attitude and motivation. But clearly, Jessica was more than motivated to shed her baby weight and she looks gorgeous.

Model Jordyn Woods is no stranger to the spotlight. She has been a prominent plus-sized model and has never been shy to flaunt her curves. Jordyn has shown off a more toned figure this year especially after appearing on The Masked Singer. I always grew up the bigger girl. I was always the taller one in my class I was always bigger and as you get older, you just get more and more self-conscious, she said in a YouTube vlog. After the death of her father in 2017, Jordyn turned to fitness as a coping mechanism. She lost 30 pounds in five months and was still able to maintain her curves. She spends a lot of time at the gym and uses it as a release when there are difficult moments in her life. Jordyn definitely looks happy and more confident than ever.

Everyones favorite brutally honest chef Gordon Ramsey has had his own weight loss journey. Gordon told Good Housekeeping that he once weighed over 250 pounds. His wife Tana is a fitness enthusiast and encouraged him to start eating better and paying more attention to his stress-eating. He was so used to working long hours and eating whatever someone put in front of him but wanted to change this. He began cycling and working out with a trainer three times a week. Gordon has lost close to 60 pounds and even released a cookbook full of healthier recipes for people to make at home.

Perhaps one of the most dramatic weight loss journeys is filmmaker and actor Kevin Smith. After suffering a heart attack in 2018 while he weighed close to 330 pounds, doctors warned him that he needed to lose weight. He took his doctors advice and lost close to 135 pounds. He makes sure to get at least 10,000 steps per day as he is walking around set. Kevin has also been introduced to a vegan diet. He has even become an ambassador for Weight Watchers. The actor steers clear from junk food now while he is on set filming and is dedicated to living a healthier, happier life not only for himself but for his daughter Harley as well.

These celebrity weight loss transformations are truly so inspiring. It just goes to show you that you can turn your life around just by switching some unhealthy habits.

SEE ALSO: 13 CELEBRITY TALENT SHOW TV STARS WHO ACED THE 10-YEAR CHALLENGE

Whose weight loss journey were you inspired by the most?

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10 Dramatic Celebrity Weight Loss Transformations & How They Did It - Talent Recap

I eat pancakes for breakfast every morning now. This is not because of quarantine (I started doing it well before the pandemic hit). This is not because I suffer from crippling depression and have given up on life. This is not because I am some elderly man whose eating habits never evolved past 1940. I am a healthy, vital and happy man who made the conscious decision to eat a stack of flapjacks at o'dark thirty every morning as part of a healthy, vital and happy routine. Pancakes complete me.

This might strike you as counterintuitive. After all, I'm 43 years old and I've already gone through the nutritional cycle of eating like a teen (garbage), eating like a twentysomething (takeout), eating like a thirtysomething (slightly more expensive takeout), and then finally coming to a rest in the California Zone, where I eat avocado toast without irony, dabble in the occasional farro salad, and even look FORWARD to having certain vegetables with dinner.Pancakes have no place in the California Zone. When I was 25, they were the perfect s---faced-at-a-diner-at-3 a.m. food. Two decades later, I feared them as if they were a tangible and very fluffy COVID-19 spore. Ask any licensed dietician what NOT to eat every day and they will show you a mugshot of an IHOP short stack. Pancakes consist of multiple layers of starch, all fried in fat, and then topped with a generous layer of pure maple sugar and a f---ing ice cream scoop of whipped butter. It's a ticking carb bomb. If you offer Jessica Alba pancakes for breakfast, she files a lawsuit.

So I feared pancakes. In 1996, I tipped the scales at a forbidding 280 lbs. I lost 80 of those pounds, but then slowly ascended back up to 260 lbs. by the time 2010 had rolled around. Again I dropped back down to 200 lbs. and have remained just a touch north of that ever since. To keep that weight off for good, I made a pact with myself to practice the dreaded PORTION CONTROL. No overloaded plates, no seconds, etc. Hence, every morning I used to eat breakfast like a coward. I would have a small bowl of cereal with an even smaller spoon. Or I would eat eggs. On their own. No toast. Or I would eat a small bowl of almond butter with honey and sea salt mixed in. That was a treat to me. Pathetic.

I have three kids, and all of them possess superhuman child metabolism. They can eat what they want, and eat any amount of it. They don't give a crap. I used to make them pancakes for breakfast every weekend, because that's a strong mob boss move. And every once in a while, I would treat myself to a single pancake, without any syrup on it. Afterward, I would experience the kind of food guilt that designated weight strugglers know with a terrifying intimacy. Can't believe I ate a whole pancake. Boy, the scale's not gonna be happy with me about this, buddyboy! I was firmly convinced the old adage of eating like a king for breakfast, like a prince for lunch, and like a pauper for dinner was a load of s---.

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Drew Magary: I'm on a pancake-only breakfast diet and I wish I started this sooner - SFGate

This wont last forever. We will be more free to roam around. Its likely going to happen by summertime, and it will be nice to get to see people we havent in a while. Well, except it will be weird, knowing our friends might look at us and notice how much more plump we have become.

1 Timothy 4:8 says exercise has some value. Some translations say little value. Still theres some good in exercising. We should do more than just sitting and laying around these days. However, I would like to help you out with some very practical things which can be huge in helping you become smaller.

But first, I need to remind you about one particular fruit of the Spirit. Galatians 5 has the whole list, but one term in it is vital in this discussion. Christians should exemplify the fruits of the Spirit. What that means is if youre a Christian, you should demonstrate your faith as you let the Spirit guide your behaviors. Jesus said you can tell a legitimate Christian by the fruit they produce. What fruit of the Spirit am I talking about? Answer: self-control.

Im about to suggest a very simple solution which really works, but it requires self-control. Non-Christians, you, too, can benefit from what Im about to tell you, but still, youll need self-control.

Besides pastoring and counseling, Ive spent years as a weight-lifting coach and personal trainer. I can tell you that trends come and go in weight loss methods. Yet, there is a very real, tried and true way that works for all of us.

It is always advisable to check with your doctor before you try any new exercise or diet plan. Some people need to be extra careful because they have underlying health issues which complicate things a bit. Still, the overall concept Im about to share is functional, practical, and simple.

Believe it or not, you dont even have to exercise more. Score! Seriously, you dont. However, it can help if you do.

Ive watched overweight people struggle in the gym, and know the struggle is real at home, as well. People get it in their heads they have to work out long and hard in order to be successful in weight loss. That simply is not true. There is no reason to burn yourself out of the idea of healthy living by overdoing the exercise part. Do I recommend exercise? Of course I do. However, there are those who struggle so much they need to lose some weight first. Then, it wont be such a huge task to exercise, later.

Weight loss is as simple as a mathematical equation. Im not joking. Stay with me, and youll see. It works. Ive seen it work with hundreds of people. It can work with you, as well.

The math works like this. 1 pound = 3500 calories. For every pound you need to lose, you need to create a 3500 calorie deficit per day, week, or month. So, if you want to lose 10 pounds in 2 months, you need to create a deficit of 35,000 calories in 2 months.

Lets say a person wants to lose 20 pounds, and would like to do so by the end of July. As of this writing, thats a little more than 13 weeks away. Lets also say this person has been drinking 64 ounces of Dr. Pepper since the quarantine started. 64 ounces of Dr. Pepper is 800 calories. If this person doesnt exercise any extra, but switches to Diet Dr. Pepper, he/she would be creating a calorie deficit of 800 per day (Diet Dr. Pepper has 0 calories.). Look at the math, below, to see how fast he/she can lose 20 pounds simply by switching drinks like that.

800 x 7 = 5600 calorie deficit per week. 5600 x 13 weeks = 72,800 calorie deficit. If losing 20 pounds is the goal, 3500 calories x 20 = 70,000. So, even though he/she would only need a calorie deficit of 70,000, he/she will have created one of 72,800. That means this person will have lost the 20 pounds before the full 13 weeks, and will have lost nearly another pound by the end of the 13 weeks. Boo yah!

Do you see how simple the math works? Its not about metabolism. Thats already factored in. Its a matter of creating a calorie deficit, and it works for any adult with no underlying health conditions, and even with many who do. Its universal between males and females, as well.

A word of caution for adults: Dont reduce your daily caloric intake to below 1000. That can trick your body into thinking it needs to store more. So keep it over 1000 per day, and if youre going to go that low, you should be supplementing with a multivitamin.

A word of advice in keeping balance in your diet: A good rule of thumb if youre tracking what you put into your body is 1 gram of fiber for every 100 calories. There are several smartphone apps out there which can help you track your calories and more. Always count everything you consume. That includes gum (even if you spit it out, and you always should), supplements, drinks, or whatever. If you dont want to or cant use a smart phone, use a note card or something similar. Personally, since I do exercise, I track my protein, fiber, and calories.

If you need to determine how many calories you have been or should be consuming to maintain or lose weight, online calorie calculators are, also, readily available and free. These work for children as well. The dont go under 1000 calories per day does not apply to children.

Many of us who have been overeating during this pandemic can actually lose as much as a pound per week. Thats some of the simplest math. If you can safely create a calorie deficit of 500 per day, you will lose 1 pound per week (500 x 7 = 3500 calories, which = 1 pound).

For those who believe they are ready to exercise, there are, also, calorie burning calculators online which can help you figure out how much exercise it takes to create more of a calorie deficit. Ill warn you, it takes a lot of exercise to create calorie deficits. However, for every pound of muscle you add to your body, you will burn an additional 50 calories just sitting still in a given day. This is why people with more muscle can eat more without getting fat.

For example, using a calorie burning calculator, I can know that a man at my age, height, and weight, will burn around 300 calories, bicycling on the trails in my neighborhood for an hour. If I wanted to lose a pound per week, all I would have to do is create a 200 calorie deficit per day by changing eating habits, and bicycle an hour a day on the trails in my neighborhood. Obviously, its a whole lot easier, just creating the deficit in my diet. However, if I wanted, I could do that and add a 2 hour bicycling regimen and easily lose 2 pounds per week.

It really is that simple. A 3500 calorie deficit = a 1 pound loss. Self-control or lack thereof will determine how well our jeans fit at the end of this stay home mandate.

Pastor Jeff Adams is a professional Christian counselor who travels the world teaching but serves our community. His column appears weekly. He can be reached by email at jeffreydadams@hotmail.com.

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Finding Reason: How to Lose Weight Without Exercising While Stuck at Home - Nisqually Valley News

Load it up with as many colourful plants as you can, toss in some berries and smoked tofu, top it with pumpkin seeds and sprouts.

Alexander Raths/iStockPhoto / Getty Images

I started lifting weights in high school, but youd have never known until about 10 years ago. Thats when I decided to get serious. Thats when I stopped spending money on stupid supplements and started following programs designed by legit trainers with decades of success. Instead of looking for the easy way out, I invested in myself. I started paying attention to my diet and lifestyle and addressed the many shortcomings with both.

And wouldnt you know it, things changed! These days, no one is ever going to mistake me for a CrossFit champion, but Im in dramatically better shape than I was in college (that would be my first go-round, back in 2000, when I weighed all of 130 lbs). I dont believe for one second Id be saying the same if I stuck with the Gym Bro mentality that supplements solve everything.

Excluding pharmaceutical agents, most of which can indeed work miracles, there is no life hack for getting healthy and strong. This is not to say supplements are entirely useless. Some, like creatine, have a proven record of delivering the goods. But if your monthly budget has a line item dedicated to GNC, consider donating that money to charity instead.

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Im telling you, here and now, that a few simple lifestyle adjustments will increase your workout gains (sorry, gainz) more than any cocktail of supplements. But these recommendations arent sexy and glamorous, so few will take them to heart. If you can, give them a shot for a month.

Bookmark this TED Talk and watch it after youre done here. Yes, getting eight hours of sleep each and every night is the single most powerful thing you can do for your health, not to mention your physique.

Get to bed before 11 p.m. and wake up eight hours later. Do this every day, even on weekends. Take daily naps (20-40 minutes, max). Make sleep a priority and you will reap a whole lot of rewards.

In a column last year, I talked about the effects of stress and why its so important to become masters of the parasympathetic nervous system. This is the rest and digest system, the calming counterpart to the sympathetic nervous systems raging fight or flight response.

I cant emphasize enough how important it is to get your stress under control. To say stress manifests physically is an understatement. I had to learn this the hard way; up until the early spring of 2019, I pretty much had a full head of hair and a not-too-shabby beard. Then patches began to appear, first on my face, then my head. Tiny patches that quickly grew in circumference and number, until, in June, I had to shave my face and head or risk being mistaken for an extra out of 12 Monkeys.

Doctors dont know for certain what causes alopecia, but stress is the main suspect. It could be worse. I still have my eyebrows.

According to the Centre for Disease Control, a mere 8.9 per cent of Americans meet the minimum recommended intake for fruits and vegetables. Forgive me, but thats bananas.

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I can remember a time when I would throw a fit if a stalk of broccoli so much as touched my plate. Children can do that. Adults cannot. Grow up and eat a damn salad for lunch. Load it up with as many colourful plants as you can, toss in some berries and smoked tofu, top it with pumpkin seeds and sprouts. Plants are often calorie-free so you can go to town here, just take it easy with the dressing.

Paul Landini is a personal trainer and health educator in Toronto.

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Forget about supplements when working out, eat your veggies instead - The Globe and Mail

Dwayne Ledford watched and wondered during his first spring practice in 2019. Louisvilles offensive line coach wasnt sure how Mekhi Becton, a 6-foot-7 behemoth of a man weighing more than 360 pounds, would move in the Cardinals newly-implemented wide-zone blocking scheme.

Is he going to be athletic enough to where he can cut off the backside [defender]? Ledford thought. Is he going to be able to climb up to the second level to block those defenders? And how well is he going to be at the point of attack?

All of his worries were squashed over the course of one practice. Ledford walked up to Cardinals head coach Scott Satterfield after watching Becton throughout the day and delivered a very succinct assessment.

We dont have anything to worry about, Ledford told Satterfield. This kid is special.

Becton had the agility to move with grace and block with great ferocity despite his massive frame. There were some things to clean up, but Ledford knew he had a gem in Becton.

That combination of size and athleticism is rare in a man as big as Becton, but it didnt manifest overnight. When Satterfields coaching staff came to Louisville in December 2018 after Bobby Petrinos firing, new strength and conditioning coach Mike Sirignano found a team reeling after losing their head coach.

It was 90-plus players pretty emotionally broken, Sirignano told JetsWire, which meant they were physically broken. So there was a lot of work to do.

The staff set out to rebuild the team from within. That meant new workouts, new diets, new recovery protocols and a new mentality. Becton, who reportedly weighed upwards of 389 pounds when the new staff came aboard, was among the first to buy into the new regime.

So we put a plan together for Mekhi, Sirignano said. You know, for a guy thats 6-foot-7, 300-and-whatever pounds, you know, thats a little different than everyone else in the room. So you got to modify some things.

First came nutrition, which team dietitian Emily Artner said Becton began working on himself in 2018 when he and Cardinals long snapper Mitch Hall reached out to Artner about improving their diets. Artner worked with Becton on a points-based system to encourage weight loss without sacrificing muscle mass. That meant a 5,000-6,000 calories-per-day plan focusing on vegetables and protein.

So my approach is not to give a standardized meal plan of, Hey, breakfast, lunch and dinner you have to eat these exact things, Artner told JetsWire. And so we kind of have a spreadsheet that I use with a lot and thats what really Mekhi got started.

Becton picked the meals, recorded everything in the spreadsheet, sent pictures to Artner and his coaches and, in the process, learned how to create a meal plan on his own without feeling restricted by an intense diet. His favorites included a breakfast of egg white omelets, vegetables, fruits and a pancake, while his dinner and lunch go-toes were salmon or steak with sauteed spinach and mushrooms.

Theres always a stigma with big-bodied linemen that theyll just as easily put weight back on after losing it. But not Becton. He never deviated from the plan, according to Artner and Sirignano, and always made sure he was on the right track, especially when he saw himself lose weight but put on lots of muscle.

Becton fully bought into the nutritional side of training by then and carried that into the rest of his work. He listened intently to Ledfords coaching on offensive line technique namely focusing on finishing blocks all the way through the whistle and all the workouts Sirignanos strength and conditioning staff put him through to improve his athleticism and explosiveness.

Louisvilles philosophy in the weight room is all about bridging the gap between the gym and the field, according to Sirignano, meaning they try to focus less on heavy lifting and more on powerful movements. They did almost all their workouts on their feet instead of sitting down, which included jumps, cleans, cuts and Olympic lifts to mimic the force players apply to the ground.

Those types of moments can complicate things for a 360-pound human such as Becton, though. Even though he proved incredibly athletic for his frame, Becton was still exerting more than 1,000 pounds of force when he ran. That puts a lot of pressure on your body and leads to lots of wear and tear and ultimately injury if not monitored. Luckily for Becton, he missed only one game during his career at Louisville with an ankle injury, and a lot of that can be attributed to the work of Matt Summers athletic training team.

We were able to be creative with him, Summers said about Bectons training. It was truly a team approach and I think for him specifically, it was about monitoring his load but still getting great output from a conditioning standpoint.

That meant reducing the force Becton exerted with different types of conditioning like underwater treadmills and the incorporation of exercises centered around strengthening the ankle and the shoulder two areas of the body Summers said are highly-susceptible to injuries in young offensive linemen.

He bought into that, Summers said. He had a great trust, I think, in what were trying to do and had no issues with that for him.

Ledford, Sirignano, Artner and Summers were all pieces of the puzzle that helped turn Becton into a 364-pound lineman with 17 percent body fat who could run a 5.11 40-yard dash. It was a lot of work, but Becton never shied away from doing anything and everything to become one of the best and strongest linemen in the 2020 draft.

I completely admired the way that he completely engulfed himself and doing whatever it was that I asked him to do this year for his game to improve to be one of the better tackles out there, Ledford said of Bectons transformation. I couldnt be more proud of the work that he went out there and put in.

Now, Becton will be tasked with a new challenge: blocking for Sam Darnold and LeVeon Bell. Hes got the athleticism and the raw ability required. All he needs to do is put it together and build on all his learnings from Louisville.

Ledford doesnt envision that being a problem for Becton, though.

Mekhi is really just now starting to scratch the surface on how good he can be, Ledford said. I think that his best days are still ahead of him.

The rest is here:
Building Becton: How Louisville turned Mekhi Becton into one of the country's best linemen in just one year - Jets Wire

There are two main ways to improve the state of the microbiome in your gut. You can add more bacteria into it and you can look after the bacteria that are there already.

How do you do that? By eating and drinking the right kind of stuff. We spoke to Jo Travers, a dietitian working with the campaign Love Your Gut Week, to find out what kind of stuff that is.

You need to have a balanced approach. You cant just add in something good like a probiotic and expect all your problems to go away. Your starting point should be, have I got enough energy, enough protein, enough fresh fruit and veg? The latter is where were getting the fibre, vitamins and minerals from.

I always say the first thing to do is think about your plate split into three. You have half your plate filled with veg, or a mixture of fruit and veg, a quarter of protein and a quarter of carbohydrates. If you do that the chances of getting everything you need and not too much of what you dont need are really high. From that point you can start to fine-tune it, but unless youve got those basics in place the fine-tuning isnt going to make any difference.

Its a balance. By all means having some probiotic foods is brilliant. When you introduce friendly or useful bacteria into your system, the bacteria that already live there can make use of that as well because bacteria can swap genes with each other. Thats a good thing to do.

Once youve got useful bacteria there the key is to maintain it. When we take a probiotic product were generally just taking one or a few different strains of bacteria, but there are a great deal more than that already living in there, and each bacteria thrives on a different type of fibre. The more variety in the types of fibre you eat, the more likely it is youre going to be able to sustain the bacteria that are living there.

We call these fibres prebiotics. Probiotics are the ones you add into your system, and prebiotics feed the bacteria already living there.

Probiotics are things like yogurt, which is a fermented food, and kefir and kombucha. All of those naturally fermented foods will contain some probiotics. Traditionally fermented soy sauce will contain probiotics, but generally the stuff we get from the supermarket isnt traditionally fermented and theres not a great deal of probiotic in there. Its a similar story with tofu, which is quite highly processed, but the more traditional form of soy protein tempeh has lots of probiotics in it.

With prebiotics its anything with fibre in it. So fruit, veg, nuts, seeds and wholegrains are the staple prebiotics in our diet.

Yes. There was a study done fairly recently that found people who ate 30 or more different plant foods in a week had a much more varied gut microbiota in their digestive system compared with those who only ate ten or fewer different plant foods a week.

Different colours, different types it all counts. If youre having a salad, you could just have your lettuce, cucumber and tomato salad, but actually what I do is add things like jars of roasted vegetables, olives, pine nuts and seeds to my salad. Not only do you get something that tastes really nice without really doing any extra work because youre just adding it from a packet, you also get all those other different kinds of fibres, as well as the vitamins and minerals that come with those foods.

Exactly. Just think what can I add to this to make it even better? So if youre making pasta with tomato sauce, for example, adding in a couple of handfuls of frozen spinach adds nutrition, and youre also adding a different type of fibre as well without much extra work. Remember, all plant foods count: dried, canned, frozen, fresh and wholegrains.

Continued here:
Improve Your Diet With These Foods That Are Good For Your Gut - Coach